Frederick William IV Biography

Birth of Frederick William IV, son of Frederick William III

Succeeds as King of Prussia

Attends the celebrations marking the completion of Cologne Cathedral, becoming the first king of Prussia to enter a Roman Catholic building

The United Diet refuses to agree the loan for a new railway. The loan request for the Berlin-Konigsberg railway is rejected. Must offer a written Constitution & an elected Assembly before the loan is agreed. Calls up an Assembly for a loan to build a railway from Berlin to Bahgdad

The Diet is united against Frederick Williams idea of a representative Assembly. Refuses to allow a written Constitution. Refuses to allow a fully representative Assembly. Calls a national assembly, it is not a representative body, but rather a United Diet comprising all the provincial estates, which had the right to grant taxes and loans but no right to meet at regular intervals. Allows freedom of the press

Must offer a written Constitution & an elected Assembly before the loan is agreed

Calls a national assembly, it is not a representative body, but rather a United Diet comprising all the provincial estates, which had the right to grant taxes and loans but no right to meet at regular intervals

Calls a national assembly, it is not a representative body, but rather a United Diet comprising all the provincial estates, which had the right to grant taxes and loans but no right to meet at regular intervals

The United Diet refuses to agree the loan for a new railway

Frederick William IV agrees to demands for a constitution & to become leader of a united Germany

Frederick stays in his Palace surrounded by a mob who force constitutional reforms. Commits himself to German unification, forms a liberal Government and convenes a national assembly

The Frankfurt Assembly collapses after Frederick William IV refuses to be it's crowned head."

In the Revolutions of 1848 the Austrian dominated German Confederation is dissolved and the Frankfurt Assembly seeks to establish new constitutions for the German states

The Frankfurt Assembly collapses after Frederick William IV refuses to be it's crowned head

Contacts Metternich to reform the German Confederation but Metternich is deposed

Once his position is more secure again,quickly has the army reoccupy Berlin and dissolve the assembly. Commits himself to German unification, forms a liberal Government, convenes a national assembly, and orders that a Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia

Capitulates to the demands of the revolutionaries in Berlin

Declares "Prussia will merge with Germany". Contacts Metternich to reform the German Confederation but Metternich is deposed. Commits himself to German unification, forms a liberal Government, convenes a national assembly, and orders that a Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia.

Once his position is more secure again,quickly has the army reoccupy Berlin and dissolve the assembly. Wishes to stay with his "dear Berliners". Transfers responsibility for law & order to a civilian militia. The King's troops are overwhelmed & leave Berlin.

Stays in Berlin with the idea of leading a united Germany. Heads a procession wearing a black-red-gold armband. Frederick stays in his Palace surrounded by a mob who force constitutional reforms. Fredericks generals ask him to leave for Potsdam, he refuses & street violence ensues.

Transfers responsibility for law & order to a civilian militia. The King's troops are overwhelmed & leave Berlin. Stays in Berlin with the idea of leading a united Germany. Declares "Prussia will merge with Germany". Capitulates to the demands of the revolutionaries in Berlin

Declares "Prussia will merge with Germany". Commits himself to German unification, forms a liberal Government, convenes a national assembly, and orders that a Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia

Frederick William IV agrees to demands for a constitution & to become leader of a united Germany

When revolution breaks out in Prussia, part of the larger Revolutions of 1848, the king initially moved to repress it with the army, but later decided to recall the troops and place himself at the head of the movement

Once his position is more secure again,quickly has the army reoccupy Berlin and dissolve the assembly

Once his position is more secure again,quickly has the army reoccupy Berlin and dissolve the assembly

Once his position is more secure again,quickly has the army reoccupy Berlin and dissolve the assembly

Once his position is more secure again,quickly has the army reoccupy Berlin and dissolve the assembly

Elected as "Emperor of the Germans"

Supports unification for a time, leading the Frankfurt Parliament to offer him the crown of Germany, which he refuses, purportedly saying that he would not accept "a crown made of mud and clay"

Supports unification for a time, leading the Frankfurt Parliament to offer him the crown of Germany, which he refuses, purportedly saying that he would not accept "a crown made of mud and clay"

Rejects the Imperial Crown offered by the Parliament of Frankfurt

The Alliance of the Three King's is concluded between Prussia, Saxony and Hanover

The Alliance of the Three King's leads to the Erfurt Union which abandons universal and equal franchise in favour of a 3 class franchise

The Alliance of the Three King's leads to the Erfurt Union which abandons universal and equal franchise in favour of a 3 class franchise

The Alliance of the Three King's leads to the Erfurt Union which abandons universal and equal franchise in favour of a 3 class franchise

Liberal deputies to the German national assembly agree a draft constitution and by the end of August, 28 principalities recognise the Reich constitution and join the union

Liberal deputies to the German national assembly agree a draft constitution and by the end of August, 28 principalities recognise the Reich constitution and join the union

Liberal deputies to the German national assembly agree a draft constitution and by the end of August, 28 principalities recognise the Reich constitution and join the union

Refuses to abandon the constitution after Schwarzenburgs offer to divide Germany

Refuses to abandon the constitution after Schwarzenburgs offer to divide Germany

Refuses to abandon the constitution after Schwarzenburgs offer to divide Germany

France, Britain & Russia sign a protocol recognizing Danish rule in Schleswig

Refuses to abandon the constitution after Schwarzenburgs offer to divide Germany

Refuses to abandon the constitution after Schwarzenburgs offer to divide Germany

France, Britain & Russia sign a protocol recognizing Danish rule in Holstein

Elections to the Erfurt Parliament received little popular support. Democrats boycot the election and Saxony and Hanover leave the Alliance of Three Kings

Elections to the Erfurt Parliament received little popular support. Democrats boycot the election and Saxony and Hanover leave the Alliance of Three Kings

No state Government agrees to the constitution even though it was accepted by the Gotha Party who are defeated in the elections. The Erfurt Parliament never materialises

Elections to the Erfurt Parliament received little popular support. Democrats boycot the election and Saxony and Hanover leave the Alliance of Three Kings

The Erfurt Union Parliament lasts from March 20 to April 29, 1850, opened at the former Augustinian monastery in Erfurt

The Erfurt Union Parliament lasts from March 20 to April 29, 1850, opened at the former Augustinian monastery in Erfurt

The Erfurt Union is union of German states under a federation, proposed by Prussia at Erfurt

The union never came into effect, and undermined in the Punctation of Olmutz under pressure from the Austrian Empire.

In Prussia a congress of Princes decides against introducing a constitution

In Prussia a congress of Princes decides against introducing a constitution

In Prussia a congress of Princes decides against introducing a constitution

Prussia makes peace with Denmark, following Tsar Nicholass advice

Russia supports Austria's efforts to crush the revolutions of 1848

The Prussian army is mobilized

Shots are exchanged between Austrian & Prussian soldiers, the 1st since 1778

The French mobilize in Alsace & direct Prussian & Austrian aggression is diffused

A treaty between Prussia and Austria by which Prussia abandoned the Erfurt Union and accepted the revival of the German Confederation under Austrian leadership

Prussia submitted to Austria partly because Tsar Nicholas I of Russia had chosen the side of Austria in the Warsaw negotiations in October 1850

Settles a conflict between Prussia and Austria about the leadership in the German Confederation. The confederation, dominated by Austria, had been dissolved in the Revolutions of 1848 and partially succeeded by the Frankfurt Assembly

The treaty is the result of a conference held in Olmutz in the Austrian Margraviate of Moravia, also known as the "humiliation of Olmutz", seen by many as a capitulation of the Prussians to the Austrians

Prussia gives up the Erfurt Union & returns to the old Confederation in Germany

It is also known as the "humiliation of Olmutz", as the Treaty was seen by many as a capitulation of the Prussians to the Austrians. The reason for the Treaty was a conflict between Prussia and Austria about the leadership in the German Confederation.

The Treaty of Olmutz was the result of a conference held in Olmutz in the Austrian Margraviate of Moravia (now Olomouc, Czech Republic).

The confederation, dominated by Austria, had been dissolved in the Revolutions of 1848 and partially succeeded by the Frankfurt Assembly. After the Frankfurt Assembly failed, Prussia in early 1850 had taken the initiative of the Erfurt Union, a Prussia-led federation of most German states

The treaty is the result of a conference held in Olmutz in the Austrian Margraviate of Moravia, also known as the "humiliation of Olmutz", seen by many as a capitulation of the Prussians to the Austrians

Attempts to establish the Erfurt Union, a union of German states excluding Austria, but abandons the idea in the face of Austrian resistance

Attempts to establish the Erfurt Union, a union of German states excluding Austria, but abandons the idea in the face of Austrian resistance

Attempts to establish the Erfurt Union, a union of German states excluding Austria, but abandons the idea in the face of Austrian resistance

Prussia and Austria. Prussia abandons the Erfurt Union and accepts the revival of the German Confederation under Austrian leadership

A treaty between Prussia and Austria by which Prussia abandoned the Erfurt Union and accepted the revival of the German Confederation under Austrian leadership

Attempts to establish the Erfurt Union, a union of German states excluding Austria, but abandons the idea by the Punctuation of Olmutz, in the face of Austrian resistance

Promulgates a new constitution that created a Parliament with two chambers, an aristocratic upper house and an elected lower house.

The constitution also reserved for the king the power of appointing all ministers, reestablished the conservative district assemblies and provincial diets, and guaranteed that the bureaucracy and the military remained firmly in the hands of the king.

The lower house is elected by all taxpayers, but in a three-tiered system based on the amount of taxes paid so that true universal suffrage is denied.

Promulgates a new constitution that created a Parliament with two chambers, an aristocratic upper house and an elected lower house

The lower house is elected by all taxpayers, but in a three-tiered system based on the amount of taxes paid so that true universal suffrage is denied

The lower house is elected by all taxpayers, but in a three-tiered system based on the amount of taxes paid so that true universal suffrage is denied

William I is appointed Regent after Frederick Williams bouts of insanity